Offside Trap: U.S., Mexico gear up for 'friendly'

Randy Capps

Friday

Mar 28, 2014 at 12:01 AMMar 28, 2014 at 11:12 AM

Calling any game between Mexico and the United States a friendly is a poor use of that term, but the two CONCACAF rivals will play, uh, a game that doesn't count on April 2 as both sides prep for the World Cup.

A World Cup that's only 75 days away, by the way.

Of course, with hardly any European-based players involved (the date is not a FIFA-sanctioned date for international competition), it's more designed for fringe players to make one last impression before the 23 seats on each country's plane to Brazil are handed out.

The only European-based player on either roster is Julian Green, the Bayern Munich youngster who recently agreed to join the U.S. National Team, spurning Germany, where he played on youth sides.

I don't know if he'll start, but he's a lock to play - since Bayern Munich granted him special permission to attend this camp. Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing him in action.

Almost as much as I am to seeing Landon Donovan, Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey in the same U.S. lineup for the first time in 10 months.

In fact, in Jurgen Klinsmann's 46 games in charge, the trio have shared the field in only four of those matches. Considering the fact that our World Cup hopes depend on these guys playing well, I'm hoping they can manage that against El Tri.

As for Mexico, there are still a few spots to be had on the World Cup roster, so you can bet that guys like Marco Fabian, Alfredo Talavera and Jesus Eduardo Zavala will be looking to impress.

The game is set for Phoenix, so there will be a mixed crowd which nullifies the usual U.S. home-pitch advantage a bit. But, on paper, the U.S. should be able to pick up a win against their arch-rivals.

Pretty sure they won't be playing on paper, though.

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